As crowds chanted, Let the water flow, water from Upper Klamath Lake began flowing down the A Canal today, highlighting ceremonies rich with symbolism and significance.

Two of President Bushs Cabinet members, Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, and Sen. Gordon Smith were joined by Klamath Basin farmer Dave Cacka for this mornings ceremonies at the A Canal headgates.

I think today is highly significant. Today is the day we establish balance, said Smith, who predicted that government agencies will eventually announce full allocations to Klamath Basin water users.

We think this is a significant day, said Veneman. This symbolizes not only the presidents commitment to the Basin, but also the desire to meet the needs of all water users.

Conflicting water demands were represented by a large gathering of mostly Yurok and Hoopa tribal members from the Lower Klamath River Basin, who carried signs and banners protesting decisions to release water.

But the day belonged to Klamath Basin water users and others who supported farmers and ranchers during last years crisis, when irrigation water was mostly denied to meet the needs of threatened and endangered suckers and coho salmon.

Pent-up emotions were released as a ceremonial turning of the wheel opening the gates was done by Smith, Norton, Veneman and Cacka. But they flowed as freely as the water when, minutes later, a second gate was opened, allowing water to begin filling the canal.

What began as a lone voice expanded into a thundering cacophony of celebration, as the crowd echoed chants of, Let the water flow, while Veneman, Smith and Norton worked their way along the canal, shaking hands with mostly joyful spectators. Spokesmen for the Klamath Falls Police Department estimated the crowd at about 350 people, far less than expected.

About 65 cubic feet per second will be released to initially charge the system. Over the next 10 days the rate will be increased to prepare the canal to deliver water to irrigation districts by mid- to late-April.

The releases came even as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service are working on long-term biological opinions, which will form the basis for long-term Klamath Basin water allocations though 2012.

Veneman, Norton and Smith, while emphasizing the need for balanced water uses, were clearly pleased and optimistic that water will continue to be available to Klamath Basin water users.

A year ago I came here to tell you how sorry I was, said Smith. Im delighted to be here today to tell you how delighted I am that we are righting that wrong.

We understand our decisions need to be based on solid science, said Norton, referring the opinions by the National Academy of Sciences that say water lake levels in Upper Klamath Lake do not appear tied to fish survival.

The president feels very strongly we need to take care of not just the immediate needs, but long-term needs, said Norton. There are way of balancing the interests of jobs and the environment.

Our farmers in this area are the best in the world, said Veneman. We are so pleased to be a part of the process of getting the needed water to the farmers.

Veneman, who arrived in the Klamath Basin on Thursday, toured the region and held a series of meetings. She admitted theres a lot of divergent opinions on what the ultimate solutions will be.

According to Veneman, during face-to-face meetings with President Bush, He was very concerned about what is happening the in the Klamath Basin, and said todays ceremonies, and creation of the Klamath River Basin Working Group, are indicative of his interest.

The working group was instructed by Bush to create short and long-term solutions to problems faced by farmers, ranchers, fisherman, tribes and others along the Klamath River corridor.

Todays water release was done after consultations with the two fisheries services indicated the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations operations will not cause irreparable harm to endangered species in April and May.

* * *

Regional Editor Lee Juillerat covers Lake, Siskiyou, Modoc and northern Klamath counties. He can be reached at (541) 885-4421, (800) 275-0982, or by e-mail at ljuillerat@heraldandnews.com.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore., March 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith opened the "A" Canal headgates today as a first step in delivering water to Klamath Basin irrigators for the 2002 growing season. These preliminary water deliveries will begin the process of charging the canal.

"We are pleased to be able to open these headgates to provide water to farmers," Norton said. "We have work to do. The law and the condition of the basin constrain our discretion. But our objectives are clear. As the president has directed, our goals are to protect farm families, restore the health of the ecosystem, honor our trust responsibilities to tribes and recover endangered species."

Water delivery to the Klamath Basin will begin as the consultation process for the 10-year operation of the Klamath Project moves forward with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), she said. Based on a preliminary analysis, the storage supply available in the Klamath Basin system, combined with projected inflow to the Klamath Project, is believed to be sufficient to meet both irrigation requirements and any potential endangered species needs in 2002.

"This is an important step in ensuring farmers and ranchers in the region have adequate water supplies," Veneman said. "There is still a great deal of work to be done and this administration continues its commitment to help farmers and ranchers recover from losses suffered last year."

At first, about 60 cubic feet per second will be released to charge the system. Gradually, over the next 10 days, the rate will be increased to prepare the canal to deliver water to irrigation districts by mid-to-late April. The irrigation season normally runs from April through September.

Both NMFS and FWS are working on long term Biological Opinions in response to the Biological Assessment that Reclamation issued Feb. 27. Those opinions will provide the basis for long term Klamath Basin water allocations from 2002 to 2012.

NMFS and FWS have agreed through informal consultation and interim formal consultation that the Bureau of Reclamation's operations will not jeopardize endangered species during the months of April and May 2002. Reclamation has committed to immediately take certain actions, including implementing measures to reduce entrainment of suckers into the "A" Canal.

To reduce entrainment of fish throughout the 10-year project, Reclamation plans for a fish screen at the "A" Canal Headgates have been accelerated. The cabinet-level Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group, appointed by President Bush on March 1, has announced that construction of the screen will be advanced to protect endangered species living in Upper Klamath Lake.

Reclamation's fiscal year 2003 budget request to Congress includes funding to complete the installation of the fish screen, with construction expected to begin this fall and completion scheduled by April 1, 2003. Design is essentially complete, with a contract award expected by early August.

President Bush instructed the Working Group to find short-term and long-term solutions to the challenges affecting farmers, ranchers, fishermen, tribes and others in the Klamath River. The working group is chaired by Norton. Other members include Veneman, Commerce Secretary Don Evans, and James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

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Questions and Answers on Klamath Water Release

Contact: Mark Pfeifle, DOI, 202-208-6416

-- Is it consistent with the Endangered Species Act to release water before you have a final Biological Opinion? Yes, the Bureau of Reclamation has consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on the operations of the project facilities during April and May while the final Biological Opinions (BOs) are being completed. Based on a preliminary analysis, the storage supply available in the Klamath Basin system, combined with projected inflow to the Klamath Project, is believed to be sufficient to meet both irrigation requirements and any potential endangered species needs in 2002.

-- Do you have a "take permit" for sucker fish entrained in the A Canal after the opening? Reclamation has received coverage of potential incidental take from the Fish and Wildlife Service associated with the entrainment of fish into the A canal. Reclamation will mitigate the potential take of fish by stringing a temporary net (fish screen) across the mouth of the A canal. In addition, a deflection curtain will be installed to keep larval suckers away from the canal entrance.

-- Why don't you wait until the final Opinions are completed before opening the gates? The normal irrigation year begins around April 1. Unfortunately, Reclamation's deliberations and modifications to the final Biological Assessment (BA) have somewhat delayed the completion of the final BOs by FWS and NMFS. To reconcile the delay, Reclamation has sought a temporary authorization to operate from the two agencies for the months of April and May while the long-term (10-year) operating opinion is completed.

-- How much water are you releasing now that you've opened the gates? There is approximately 60 CFS entering the canal.

-- When will the farmers know what their water supply for this year will be? Reclamation will not have a completely accurate assessment of the water year until after the April 1, inflow forecast is received. Normally the projection for the available water supply for the irrigation season is developed April 10.

-- Will the refuges get a water supply this year? It is anticipated that all water supply requirements will be met this year.

-- Do you plan on having security at the headgates this year? We have no reason to believe that security will be a problem this year.

-- What is Reclamation doing to benefit suckers and salmon? Reclamation's BA follows the recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council to operate the water regime as it has operated in the previous 10 years. In addition, as recommended by the council, Reclamation is moving forward to construct the fish screen in front of the A canal to prevent the entrainment of fish. Reclamation also has proposed a water bank which would be used to meet lake levels and in-stream flow needs of the fish.

-- When do you expect to receive the Bos? The draft Bos are expected on April 12, and the final Bos are expected June 3.

-- When will construction of the A canal fish screen begin? Construction should begin in August or September 2002 and be essentially complete by April 2003.

-- Do you anticipate any demonstrations this year? We have no reason to believe that there will be concerns with the operations of the Klamath Basin project this year.

-- Will there be adequate water for the project this year? The current snow pack is above 120 percent of normal. Inflows to the lake are expected to be around 70 percent of normal. This equates to a "below average" water year, but Reclamation anticipates, based on existing information, that this year's supply will meet the needs of the irrigators, Tribal Trust responsibilities and endangered species requirements.

-- What will the water bank program be for the coming season? Reclamation has 25,000 acre feet of water in off-stream storage for later use this water year. Other components of the water bank are expected to be developed over the near term.

-- What is happening with the pilot oxygenation project (POP)? As originally proposed, the POP required significant modification to meet the unique requirements of Upper Klamath Lake. It is hoped the POP will demonstrate the merits of large scale oxygenation of Upper Klamath Lake during periods of extremely poor water quality. The POP is only a test project that could lead to a much larger project if it proves feasible. Reclamation is now proceeding to initiate the permitting process for the POP, which could take up to several years.

-- Will Reclamation be using ground water for supplementation of river water? We do not believe that ground water pumping will be necessary given the current runoff forecast.

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

A caption for the picture of the idiots holding the signs. ""You idiots are standing next to a 133 sg mile lake that is overflowing, feeding the river twice as much flow as it needs now, and you don't want to give the farms and refuges their measley 20% or less that they use on the average??? "" --Ed Hubel--

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- Marni Morrow says she barely managed to survive last year after the federal government cut off irrigation water to her family's Klamath Basin potato farm.

A year without water, court fights with the government and environmentalists, and the fear of losing their livelihood caused stress that claimed the lives of several close friends, she says.

Morrow was unable to hold back tears this morning as two Cabinet secretaries opened the main water diversion canal in the Klamath Basin in a show of Bush administration support for farmers who lost crops during last year's drought.

"This lake is the heart of this community and when they closed this headgate down they cut off the flow to this community's main artery," an overjoyed Morrow said, clutching her young daughter.

Water began to gush through the headgates and toward farmers' fields today for the first time since last summer, when federal biologists said continued water draw-down in a time of drought would harm endangered sucker fish in Upper Klamath Lake and threatened coho salmon in the Klamath River. Environmentalists cheered last year's decision, while many farms along the Oregon-California border were pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. Today's beginning of a new irrigation season brought new hope to the struggling farmers.

Standing beside environmentalists who held a sign reading "Potatoes aren't everything," Morrow questioned how the green activists would feed themselves without the nation's family farms.

"We farmers aren't millionaires but we are feeding this country," Morrow said. "Do they really think there is another nation that is going to feed us? They better take a look at the Twin Towers if they think there is. What they did here last year, closing these gates, was an act of terrorism."

She calls the opening of the headgates the beginning of victory for farmers and others who question the Endangered Species Act and its impact on people in the West.

"We've come to understand and know the needs of agriculture in this valley," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton. "We have to find ways to balance the needs of the ecosystem and of people."

As farmers cheered "let the water flow, let the water flow," Norton and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman cranked open the irrigation headgates.

During an earlier meeting with 32 farmers, ranchers and politicians from Klamath Falls, as well as Assemblyman John Carpenter, R-Elko, and Elko attorney Grant Gerber, Veneman ensured sound science would be used before more species are given protection through the Endangered Species Act. The Bush administration also pledged support for a bill introduced by Western lawmakers that would amend the species act.

"I think it's great," Carpenter said, standing beside the irrigation canal. "That's just what we want. For top politicians to support the amendment that makes the Endangered Species Act more people friendly."

Gerber offered similar thoughts.

"It's an absolute victory," Gerber said. "The water is flowing. There is 8 to 10 feet of water in the A Canal flowing to the farmers. Last year at this time the farmers had no water."

Farmers and their supporters also prepared to make sure the water keeps flowing.

"We understand the radical environmentalist bureaucrats will try to stop it, but Bush is in support of the farmers," Gerber said.

Supporters of the Klamath farmers were critical of Nevada Sen. Harry Reid.

"The farmers would have had water last year if the Senate Democrats wouldn't have voted against them," Gerber said. "Harry Reid dried up the farmers in the Klamath Basin. He was Senate majority whip and he held all of the Democratic senators in line and voted against the farmers."

Gerber and Carpenter said today's water release was also important for people in northeastern Nevada.

"Whenever people in rural areas of the nation win a fight, it's helping the people of Elko County because the people in Elko County are in these battles," Gerber said. "We've lost thousands of cattle to environmental regulations.

"This is a victory here in Klamath. Bush is recognizing these are the people who voted for him."

Environmentalists and Indian tribes cautioned that giving farmers as much water as they need might mean that there won't be enough for fish or wildlife.

"We don't begrudge the farmers water. We just wish there was more effort made by the federal government to strike a balance," said Steve Pedery, of the Portland-based conservation group WaterWatch.

Pedery said opening the headgates now without a thorough study of the environmental effects a "rush to judgment."

President Bush has formed a federal task force to come up with short- and long-term solutions. Work is also under way to develop a 10-year management plan for the basin.

The releases came even as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service are working on long-term biological opinions, which will form the basis for long-term Klamath Basin water allocations though 2012.

Oh, They calculating how much water they are going to buy?

Veneman, Norton and Smith, while emphasizing the need for balanced water uses, were clearly pleased and optimistic that water will continue to be available to Klamath Basin water users.

Optomistic? Is that all? Well, um, maybe, maybe not.

We understand our decisions need to be based on solid science, said Norton...

Whose decisions? Oh, you mean about how much water you need to buy! Right?

I am as glad as anybody to see the farmers survive for at least another year. I am told that their tolerance of the government-funded protests by the Yuroks today was nothing short of amazing. I am also told that few who witnessed this event were really thinking that this is over.

It isn't. Bush needs the people to help him rein in these Slave Party-dominated agencies by keeping the heat on for what is right. These bureaucracies have NO INTENTION of letting go of control of the water. Let nobody forget that the reason those headgates are open is because of adequate snow. What that did, thanks to God, was buy us time. Gale Norton is more glad of that than anything else, but she isn't taking any chances.

The Bureau of Reclamation spent $10 million tax dollars this year on security for the headgates. If they were really admitting fault, they would be tearing that fence down. Nice touch with the fence and the barbed wire nb.

I think that they are OK for this year. There is little to no way that a peer-reviewed biological opinion will be ready that soon (if nothing else because of the need for the study-the-problem business to milk this for all it's worth). The ones to watch are the tribes. I met with the watershed council and the Yuroks do have some people with their heads screwed on correctly (their lead biologist is not among them). some of them are smart enough to know that if the farmers go, they are next.

I'd really like to get back up there and see if I could make a few things happen. I've had some time to let things jell and would like to explore some ideas. Perhaps the California State Grange could help with integrate a plan with its Oregon counterpart? Know anybody up there ff? If they want watershed planning, perhaps we should give it to them.

These are pro demonstrators. The local Tribe stayed away as they don't want to jeopardize there talks with Norton about the return of the reservation.The media played the race card as the only farmer shown in the national satellite news feed was taped saying " Are you indans going to eat suckers srest of your life, you would starve if it wasn't for farmers".Farmer was used to play race card on national news.And the Indians he was hollering at aren't even the sucker eaters.Ed Hubel.

I have been asked to apply for the new covering their butts Legislative Committee. This might be something the committee could work on. Might even get the National Grange involved since they were big in the Klamath fight last year. For those reading this who don't know, the National Grange had meetings of great length with the powers that be in Washington DC. We have a very effective lobby back there. You can find contact info on the Oregon Grange through the National web site. Leo is in tight with the Oregon people.

BTW do you happen to have a Klamath ping list. I bet redrock and izzaquacken and blackie and AuntB and such would love these photos and to see the articles. I've already showed Yellow Rose of Texas lol

i am amazed at all of these stories. For so long it seemed that only the people of Klamath and their friends here of FreeRepublic were the only ones speaking about this. Now all the media are covering it.

"BTW do you happen to have a Klamath ping list. I bet redrock and izzaquacken and blackie and AuntB and such would love these photos and to see the articles. I've already showed Yellow Rose of Texas lol"

"26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

I wonder if these bureaucrats are the creepy things the Bible refers to? This angers me that they are celebrating standing up for humans like it was a great feat or something.

Hey wait until August implement your plan. Let those trophy trout swim up the Williamson and Wood Rivers. Then collect the slime creatures and drop them off at the Casino Parking lot. If they are so valuable, they can distribute them.

The ones to watch are the tribes. I met with the watershed council and the Yuroks do have some people with their heads screwed on correctly (their lead biologist is not among them). Some of them are smart enough to know that if the farmers go, they are next.

You are exactly right. While on the watershed council, I tried to get our local irrigators to collaborate with the tribes. Unfortunately, previous litigation by the tribes has created a large amount of anger and distrust in the ag community - they simply do not trust them and feel that they are in bed with the extreme enviros. Personally, I feel that the key is to form a political alliance between the tribes and agriculture. The tribes are better off with the land in ag then in subdivisions, and ag should support the tribes efforts to manage their tribal homelands (they can't do any worse then the feds have). This concept is not acceptable to the generation (baby boomers) currently in power, I do believe that it is possible to impliment by the next generation (us generation X'rs)

See my post above to Carry_Okie. Do you think that this type of political alliance is possible? The bottom line is that ag and the tribes both live and work on the land; the enviros are nothing more then exploitative fear mongers who are practicing divide and conquor politics to advance their agenda and keep the donations rolling in. Without the ability to use the emotional (racial) arguement, the enviros would lose public support for their anti-human agenda.

Unfortunately, the system has every reason to open and perpetuate the wounds between tribes and farmers. I therefore think that we must do what we can to find a few representatives from both sides and get them to break ranks by advocating a new way of dealing with the government.

Exactly. At this point, I think ag is waiting to see whether or not California lists the coho salmon. The preliminary biological opinion by Bureau of Reclamation is heavy to command and control (ie flow gauges) of the water. The State Department of Water Resources has bought into this, and the California Department of Fish and Game is eager to set "minumum flow standards". Absent is any real discussion of the effects that increased upland vegetation densities have had on stream flows. Pilot projects developed by the watershed council to study increased water yields after treating the vegetation are not being funded because the agencies don't want to cut any trees. They also do not want to dredge out accumulated debris from the river channels in order to create summer cold water refugia (aka deep swimming holes in the river)

To me, these are things that will work, but are not being implimented due to the 'let nature take it's course' bias that infects the morons running the agencies. If Norton can get some pilot projects like these going ON THE GROUND, then we will see positive change.

I think we are better off taking the job from them. Really. The agencies are too corrupt and self-interested to oversee that kind of work. I'm still looking for an attorney with balls and creativity. Zumbrun was too shortsighted to fill that bill. BTW, Norton has a copy of my book.

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